PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) Chief Oscar Albayalde discouraged on Monday, March 4, political parties and candidates from using his photos or videos, as well as that of the other police officials or the PNP itself to avoid misrepresentation.
“As chief PNP, I fully acknowledge my status as a public figure owing to my designation to a high national office. I am most accommodating and gentle in obliging to requests for photo opportunities, pictorials, and random selfies and groupies even with total strangers and persons outside of my wide circle of acquaintances and friends, with the understanding that the captured images are strictly for personal purposes of posterity and goodwill,” he said.
“I disclaim, however, the unwarranted use, if any, of my edited pictures in memes and social media messages and postings with political undertones and themes that suggest partisan predisposition upon my person and the office that I represent,” he added.
Albayalde said there was one instance when he saw an edited picture of him, although it was not endorsing any political party or candidate.
He refused to provide more details about it.
He said he and the entire national police agency remains apolitical and non-partisan.
“My social media engagements are exclusively through the official social media platforms administered by the PNP and on a limited extent, in my personal account for posterity and photo ops, and not meant to endorse a candidate or a political party. I therefore detach myself from any use of my pictures in non-PNP related correspondence, public announcements, advertisement or commercial and political endorsement,” he said. (Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo/SunStar Philippines)